*ADVERTS SPOILER ALERT* #3617 - 7th Jan 2012

[WizzKid97]

It appears that Bananaman is going to be in both comics in the Dandy as he was before and in the Beano as John Geering reprints. There was also an advert for bananaman merchandise in this week's issue.

What?! Reprints?! D:
OH NO! That sucks!

[Digifiend]

I assume the info you already knew was that he was staying in The Dandy? And I think that merchandise advert probably confirms my theory.

Of course, they have a good 30 year back catelogue to use, although I assume they'll only use Dandy material, because of the early design differences and the fact most of his Nutty strips were on the front cover (which would mean editing out the Nutty masthead, which is too big to simply incorporate into the Sometimes Nutty Always Bananas tagline).

[WizzKid97]

I assume the info you already knew was that he was staying in The Dandy? And I think that merchandise advert probably confirms my theory.

Of course, they have a good 30 year back catelogue to use, although I assume they'll only use Dandy material, because of the early design differences and the fact most of his Nutty strips were on the front cover (which would mean editing out the Nutty masthead, which is too big to simply incorporate into the Sometimes Nutty Always Bananas tagline).

Yeah, I only knew Bananaman was in both comics - that was all. But still, a big secret at the time!

I'm just so miffed they're using MORE reprints. I was hoping Nigel Parkinson would draw it...

[Digifiend]

I hope we see Bananaman and Bananagirl meet at some point. Less likely since Bananaman isn't new material though.

[PaulTwist]

I'd quite like to see a crossover between Beano Bananaman (or old Dandy Bananaman, I suppose) and (new) Dandy Bananaman...

[AndyB]

Topics merged.

[Jonny Whizz]

I was confused about the Bananaman situation before, but I'm even more confused now. I'm not sure why the Beano is reprinting old Bananaman strips when he's still running in the Dandy in a different style, and since the strips are reprints a crossover with Super School seems unlikely. I can't see what the benefits of this arrangement are, apart from the addition of another comic strip page (albeit reprint rather than new) to the Beano. I probably won't have seen the strips before though so I should be able to enjoy reading them.

[Digifiend]

It'll be so they can sell Bananaman merchandise to Beano readers. And like I said, if Dandy does end up folding, it safeguards the character's future. And like you say, it's another reprint for the Beano... is anything in 3617 but not 3618? In other words, what did Bananaman replace?

[Gilly]

It's still a strange move though because surely if The Dandy was to fold Bananaman could just move to The Beano then.

I'm not sure I like this it will take some getting used to!!!

[swirlythingy]

And like you say, it's another reprint for the Beano... is anything in 3617 but not 3618? In other words, what did Bananaman replace?

I haven't seen issue #3618, but it seems unlikely that it would have replaced anything. There were 36 pages in #3617, of which only 18 were comics (one more than usual, thanks to Super School), plus six (including Dodge Diary) of reprints. I'm quite confident they can find the space - maybe out of that double-page promotion for Dennis and Gnasher Puzzles?

EDIT: By the way...

It appears that Bananaman is going to be in both comics in the Dandy as he was before and in the Beano as John Geering reprints.

Called it.

[Tin Can Tommy]

There was still the double page dennis puzzles in Beano 3618 so it didnt replace that.

Unfortunately I dont have my comics at hand (back at university after the holidays) so I can't check what's missing between the two issues.

[meherenow]

Retro Beano is missing. Pup Parade also, although there are 3 pages of BSK this week.

There's room for a full page ad plugging Bananaman merchandise! My son shows interest in the old cartoon for sale in a DVD set (which I hated when I was younger, I like my original Nutty Bananaman before they started tampering with him - maybe I'll give it another shot if we get it).

Oh, and Wenlock & Mandeville are back My son is into this as well, even if he isn't really sure what they are all about.

Can't think if anything else has changed to accommodate Bman, can't get to last weeks issue just now.


edit: there's no Dandy advertorial, and The Germs have relocated to page 2.

[Digifiend]

Pup Parade's absence is certainly due to the extra BSK page, and Wenlock and Mandeville explains Retro Beano's absence (that's happened before).

[AndyB]

Unfortunately, Wenlock and Mandeville are paid for as advertising, so it's extra money for the Beano...

From the caption at the foot of Bananaman, yes, it looks as though he will be in both comics from now on. Cynical Andy wonders if it's a piece of cross-fertilisation - get more Nanaface in the Beano, remember the Dandy - but let's face it, it's great to see JKG Nanaface again, especially with the wonderful variety of supporting villains he drew like *** *****.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the nearest I will offer to a spoiler before Wednesday, but you might be able to guess

[philcom55]

As far as having two versions of the same character appearing at the same time goes I seem to remember that the Funday Times's reprints of David Law's lanky Beryl the Peril managed to run quite successfully alongside the more modern version for several years (and let's not even get into the various incarnations of Spider-Man that Marvel have produced over the years). Maybe DCT could take a leaf out of DC's book and establish Earth Beano and Earth Dandy as two parallel worlds which only come into contact once a year in the midst of some Multiverse-threatening 'Crisis'?

- Phil Rushton